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New Beaner's Coffee House

AvtpeasK

By AvtpeasK
in Grand Rapids

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jeang Whistle-Stop

jeang

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You'll catch me at Kava House every morning...say...9:30 am or so. They usually have 5 different roasts brewed up and ready to go. Still, some people love the over-roasted taste of Starbucks. Beaners is based in East Lansing, so it's kinda local...
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Rhino6885 Hamlet

Rhino6885

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I've been wanting to try the Kava House. I have to get coffee for my employers every now and then but we always go to Starbuck's which is annoying since I'd love to support local places. In Austin we have tons of those local coffee shops that I go to all the time. Thank goodness for this thread; I now have plenty of locations I know of to hit up. I agree with Alexpkeaton of wanting to go to places because they're familiar even if they're not the best. I will have to try all the mentioned coffee shops. And about Beaners being based in East Lansing being local, does that mean people in Seattle consider Starbuck's their local coffee shop?
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suydam Hamlet

suydam

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Another local:

Morningstar 76 on Wealthy next to Yesterdog

I think there's a Morningstar 75 on Weston in the Heartside too but I'm not sure about that one.

Local Java (I think) is on Monroe Center and has decent joe (and they were open when Four Friends was not at last year's Thanksgiving parade downtown).

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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My problem with local shops is consistency. I think you always get a consistent brew at Starbucks. I don't like being surprised by the taste of my coffee.

Now as far as "local" places go, I have to say I cannot stand Beaner's coffee. I try. I try real hard, but I just don't like it. And has anyone ever waited in line at Beaners? They keep expanding, but I intentionally look every time I drive by a Beaners and it's a ghost town. I think that means I'm not alone in my need for a good cup of coffee.

My favorite local places, that I think are consistent are:

Urban Mill

Common Ground (though it isn't in my radar anymore because they didn't accept Debit card forever. Do they now?)

Kava House

Four Friends

I always chuckle when I go to the Bagel Beanery. If you order a Mocha there, they make it with chocolate milk. It isn't the same thing. :)

Joe

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Veloise City

Veloise

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I get consistency and the "support local" thing at Uncle Fred's gas stations. (Dunno about fair trade.)

Iced mocha:

use a 20 oz cup. Fill with ice.

Fill with mocha cappucino from the machine.

Top off with some "Motor City Tornado" from the hot pot.

$1.05 out the door.

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john_denver Hamlet

john_denver

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I was a Seattle resident for 6 years and can attest to the insane number of coffee shops and ad-hoc espresso stands in parking lots!!

There is an intersection in downtown Seattle that had a coffee shop on each of the four corners...all were busy, all the time.

Seattle is a mad coffee city.

People in Seattle very much support the independent coffee shops...plenty of those around. As for Starbucks, there is a good following and the original store is right down in Pike Place Market. Seattle also has 2 other "chain-type" coffee shops; Seattle's Best and Tully's. SB has made there way east but I have not heard of Tully's venturing outside of Washington State. I think if you asked most coffee lovers in Seattle what their favorite coffee shop is, they would either offer up the name of some small, independent cafe or SB/Tully's.

The funniest cafe in Seattle is called "Espresso Dental" :) It is a dentist office with a full cafe!!! What a convenience...you can get your teeth bleached after staining them with all that thick espresso.

Ah yes, it was Bitter End that I liked on W Fulton.

I suppose Starbucks is Seattle's local coffee shop in the same way Meijer is our local grocer or Wal-Mart is Bentonville's local general store.

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jeang Whistle-Stop

jeang

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I was a Seattle resident for 6 years and can attest to the insane number of coffee shops and ad-hoc espresso stands in parking lots!!

There is an intersection in downtown Seattle that had a coffee shop on each of the four corners...all were busy, all the time.

Seattle is a mad coffee city.

People in Seattle very much support the independent coffee shops...plenty of those around. As for Starbucks, there is a good following and the original store is right down in Pike Place Market. Seattle also has 2 other "chain-type" coffee shops; Seattle's Best and Tully's. SB has made there way east but I have not heard of Tully's venturing outside of Washington State. I think if you asked most coffee lovers in Seattle what their favorite coffee shop is, they would either offer up the name of some small, independent cafe or SB/Tully's.

The funniest cafe in Seattle is called "Espresso Dental" :) It is a dentist office with a full cafe!!! What a convenience...you can get your teeth bleached after staining them with all that thick espresso.

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walker Burg

walker

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...As for Starbucks, there is a good following and the original store is right down in Pike Place Market. Seattle also has 2 other "chain-type" coffee shops; Seattle's Best and Tully's. SB has made there way east but I have not heard of Tully's venturing outside of Washington State.
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jeang Whistle-Stop

jeang

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This might not be news to most people but for those who don't pay much attention to corporate coffee ownership, Starbucks owns Seattle's Best. They bought them in 2003. It's sort of like choosing between Walmart and Sam' Club, your money ends up in the same place either way.
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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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Starbucks does own them. It is their "regular" line of coffee. Ever notice when some D&W's converted to Family Fare's, the Starbucks counter switched to Seattle's Best?

Joe

I thought Starbucks owned them. I just had a hunch, never did research, just had a feeling. How's the coffee at The Moose Cafe? I'm a student at Aquinas and they have a deal when you buy a Moose mug. Thought I'd ask before I try it out.

A more related to urban planet question is this; I know there are zoning laws as far as residential vs. business but does it ever get to the point of detail as to what type of businesses can or can not be in an area? I'm sure some businesses would stay away from being built near other businesses because it's just not good business; example--school being next to an adult video shop. (to point out an extreme)

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Veloise City

Veloise

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...

A more related to urban planet question is this; I know there are zoning laws as far as residential vs. business but does it ever get to the point of detail as to what type of businesses can or can not be in an area? I'm sure some businesses would stay away from being built near other businesses because it's just not good business; example--school being next to an adult video shop. (to point out an extreme)

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Veloise City

Veloise

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Posted

Alpine Fred has bags of all of these, ground and whole bean:

SB

Seattle's Best

Meijer

Meijer Gold (their special brand label)

Folger's

and my own fave, Community Coffee

There were more varieties too.

The bag of CC was a pound brick for about $5.50, and it'll keep me awake for at least 30 days.

HTH

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